CEO Blog: Extraordinary People Behind a Transformational Moment

Extraordinary
People Behind a Transformational Moment 

On the morning of October 6, 2025, dozens of community leaders, hospital staff, Indigenous partners, municipal representatives, and northern health-care advocates stood together as the provincial government formally announced a major investment: a renovation and expansion of the hospital’s emergency department.

The announcement is more than bricks and mortar. The project will add more than 27,000 square feet, expand the existing ED and create a dedicated space for mental health emergency care, as well as modern trauma rooms.

But what truly makes this moment so meaningful are the people behind it: the health- care providers who serve day in and day out, the community and Indigenous leaders who brought attention to the need for change, the donors and volunteers who believed in the vision, and the physicians and staff who, often in lean conditions, have kept delivering care. This announcement is their story.

The Care Teams

Our hospital’s emergency department was built for about 20,000 visits a year. Today it sees more than 43,000. The demand, the acuity of patients, and the pressures have all increased, especially post-pandemic. Right now, our emergency department is operating at five visits per square foot, double the provincial standard of 2.1 to 2.6 visits per square foot. That statistic alone tells a story of overcapacity, of stress, and of the urgent need for change.

The expansion will bring 29 dedicated treatment areas, new nursing stations, dedicated trauma rooms, and a separate mental health emergency stream, all designed to improve privacy, infection control, and culturally safe care. This isn’t just a physical upgrade. It’s a recognition of the extra-ordinary efforts of the physicians, nurses, allied professionals, and support staff who have kept the engine running, often under very challenging conditions.

Many of our hospital’s emergency physicians are also family physicians with community practice. This means that they have a unique under-standing of care delivery as they truly support patients as they access care across our health system: in small towns, in hospitals, long term care, front-line, and follow-up care in community.

The Community and Regional Partners

The impact of this hospital reaches far beyond Timmins. The region served spans more than 11 communities, including fly-in and remote locales across Northern Ontario. The hospital isn’t just a local institution; it’s a regional hub.

The municipal leaders, the mayors, city council, and regional stakeholders have been champions in this.

They recognize that strong health infrastructure is key to a thriving community, and they have advocated for improvements for a very long time.

Indigenous, Francophone and Cultural Inclusion

A key strength of this project is how it embeds culture, language, and equity into the design. Roughly 19.6% of the population this hospital serves is Indigenous, and about 42% of the district is Francophone. The hospital has been working with Indigenous advisory committees, updating signage, ensuring translation services (oral/written), strengthening culturally safe care, and supporting peer-advocates in the hospital and ED environment.

These efforts, led by community partners, hospital staff, and Indigenous leadership, help ensure that when patients walk through the doors, they are seen, heard, and respected in their first language and cultural context.

The Foundation, Donors and Volunteers

The redevelopment will require more than government dollars; it will also require community investment. The Timmins and District Hospital Foundation is taking the lead on the local fundraising side. Donors, volunteers, and community champions are all part of the tapestry of this effort. Their belief in the region’s future and investment in its health care infrastructure is a powerful force for transformation.

Advocacy and Government Partnership

None of this happens in isolation. Special thanks and acknowledgement to the Honourable George Pirie, our local MPP and Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, who has been a tireless champion for the health of our community. Thank you to MP Gaetan Malette, past chair of our TADH Hospital, whose efforts were significant in enabling the achievement of this milestone. Thank you to the Honourable Sylvia Jones, Minister Deputy Premier and Minister of Health for listening and responding to the needs of Northerners.

Looking Forward

Now the real work begins; planning, designing and constructing a facility that reflects the needs of a northern region, and recruiting and equipping the people who will work in it.

This moment is about so much more than concrete and steel. It’s about people — dedicated health-care workers, community advocates, partners in Indigenous and Francophone care, donors, municipal champions, and the patients and families who trust this hospital with their lives.

To everyone who has walked through the doors, supported a patient, made a phone call, signed a petition, or volunteered their time — thank you.

You helped make this possible. You are part of this transformation.

On behalf of the more than 110,000 people in our region, and the countless lives
touched by this hospital’s care: thank you.

Kate Fyfe, President and CEO